


Changing Winds

by Simply8Steps



Category: X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: (So Warnings from that Apply), F/M, Gen, Post-X3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 23:29:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11001249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Simply8Steps/pseuds/Simply8Steps
Summary: After X3 and the Alcatraz/Dark Phoenix incident, everyone feels shifting currents on the wind towards the future.





	Changing Winds

**Author's Note:**

> This my first attempt to write for X-Men though I've loved it since childhood. (Jean was probably the character that started off my fascination for red-heads apparently.) This was originally posted on LJ 10/05/2010 as a gift for phoenix_cry.

President McKenna had had about enough of this already. He still remembered the mental (or maybe it was physical or temporal) infiltration by the team of mutant “vigilantes” a year ago. They had seemed sincere enough when presenting their hand in peace. However, there was no way for him to cover, to skew the news for the American public this time. Not with the rampant publicity of Worthington Industries’ cure, not with so many dead or unaccounted for.  
  
_“Is this correct? There’s nothing left of the soldiers?”  
  
“That’s right sir. It’s like they just disappeared off the face of the Earth. Or they were incinerated.”_  
  
A shiver crept down his spine at the thought, as he recalled that briefing and the various meetings that followed.  
  
_“McCoy! What is the meaning of this?”_  
  
_“It is simply a report. Look at this as both my final assignment as mutant liaison to your administration as well as my formal resignation. I realize that I had already resigned prior to this, but this incident must not be allowed to further damage the already tenuous relationship between normal humans and the mutant population.”_  
  
_“And what am I supposed to do with it?”_  
  
_“Read it, study it, and then release it if you would like. The primary mutant responsible for the Alcatraz incident as well as most of the Brotherhood faction of mutants are already dead. I would only like to ask that…” Here, the beastly looking man had removed his glasses to… McKenna was stunned – Was he wiping tears from his eyes? “We would only like to ask that you never refer to the mutant Phoenix by her actual name.”_  
  
_“Dr. Jean Grey?”_  
  
_“She was a teacher, a doctor, and a diplomat. She was the face of the mutants’ rights movement for a long time. It would do no good for either populations or your government to let this information out. Dark Phoenix was… not Jean Grey… At least, she was not fully Dr. Grey. In fact, Dr. Grey gave her life, again, to save the rest of the world from herself.”_  
  
_“And you’re sure of this?”_  
  
_“If she had wanted to, she could have ripped our galaxy apart atom by atom with a thought.”_  
  
_“Well then…”_  
  
McKenna took no comfort from their conversation though, but it was obvious from the reports of the riots that came daily that whatever chance they stood of surviving this, he was going to have to tread carefully…  


* * *

  
  
Hank McCoy was just packing up the last of his documents in the science classroom when Logan strode in. Everyone was so busy with rebuilding the Institute that it had taken days for some semblance of normal life to settle in again. The new student arrivals had already started moving in, and the teachers found themselves trying to recover just as much as the children were.  
  
“Hello, Logan, I didn’t expect you.” (So soon, at least…)  
  
“Yeah, well, I figured this might be as good a time as any to ask – how did the meeting with the President go?”  
  
“Well, thus far, it seems that there have been no declarations for mutant concentration camps or military action yet, so – so far, so good. He’s letting the school continue at least… But I have a feeling this isn’t what you’re here for Logan, so tell me, what can I do for you?”  
  
The restless Wolverine, always on the move, settled against the wall – his eyes locked outside of the window. “I need someone to sub in for a bit in phys ed – only a week or so at most.”  
  
Hank followed his gaze to the garden, where the newly erected graves stood. “It won’t be any trouble, but may I ask for a reason?”  
  
“I just need to take a ride. Visit a lake… I still have to do something for a friend.”  
  
“Uh-huh then – well. You have my word. The students in you class will not run wild and cause chaos without supervision while you’re gone.”  
  
“Thanks.”  


* * *

  
  
Logan twisted the accelerator on the bike handle as he sped around the mountain curve. Now, he could understand Scott’s assertion that he heard her after Alkali lake. Jean haunted him, and he needed to find her ghost and make his peace.  
  
When the autumn leaves swirled around him, he closed his eyes and sniffed. He could smell her still. Just barely there. It wasn’t her voice, but she drifted in the air.  
  
He can’t help but remember the Professor in one of the last classes that Logan had seen him teach. A phoenix always comes back.  
  
If he’s there this time… Logan wants to think that he can hold her together. Needs to believe that.


End file.
